Timing motors are well known prime movers in clock applications. These motors are of various types and have been powered both by a direct current source such as a battery, or by an alternating current source which may be the conventional current mains. Although both types of prime mover have been employed with commercial acceptance for a relatively long period of time, the cost of the common A.C. or synchronous motor entails certain manufacturing expense made necessary by the requirement of various mechanical components including levers and springs for starting of the mechanical drive, an escapement mechanism formed by a ratchet and pawl for driving the gear train, as well as structure providing a stop to limit movement of the gear train as well as assuring movement of the clock hands in one direction, only. The latter structure commonly is referred to as a "no-back" mechanism. As should be apparent, such mechanical structures add to the cost of the clock or similar horological device thereby possibly to remove the manufactured item from the purchasing range of some segments of the buying public.
Thus, for these reasons and others, the industry has endeavored to develop a clock or similar horological device not only of lower cost but, preferably, one that ensures self-starting from an integral low power source, is free of the "black-out" type of power failure and, by virtue of the low power source, is free of electrical hazard.